Low iron and apnea

My son had bloodwork run that showed dangerously low iron.he was on iron supplements, but they just ran his bloodwork again-still dangerously low. I did some googling (thought I'd ask here before I go down the Google spiral) to see if the two could be linked?
At this point I'm kind of thinking our pediatrician is a moron. Could sleep apnea be the reason his levels won't go up? Or could the low iron (she hasn't used the term anemic just said "dangerously low iron") be making the apnea worse? What's the relation?
Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it! I'm so lost with all of this, and our pediatrician has never had a patient with apnea (that she knows of anyway). Our pulmo doc is out of the office for Christmas, so I can't ask him just yet

Tmatt80 wrote:My son had bloodwork run that showed dangerously low iron.he was on iron supplements, but they just ran his bloodwork again-still dangerously low. I did some googling (thought I'd ask here before I go down the Google spiral) to see if the two could be linked?
At this point I'm kind of thinking our pediatrician is a moron. Could sleep apnea be the reason his levels won't go up? Or could the low iron (she hasn't used the term anemic just said "dangerously low iron") be making the apnea worse? What's the relation?
Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it! I'm so lost with all of this, and our pediatrician has never had a patient with apnea (that she knows of anyway). Our pulmo doc is out of the office for Christmas, so I can't ask him just yet

Here's a Google link for some things you may want to read up on.

https://www.google.com/search?q=causes+ ... 8&oe=utf-8

Could be many possibilities. Sleep apnea can screw up many metabolic levels.

Is he on Vitamin C? That can help bind the iron in the blood.


Den

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He's not. I'm not sure if I said before...he's 14 months old.
I'm going to get him a multivitamin tomorrow as well as an all natural supplement that some other moms recommended. I read where apnea can be caused by low iron, but I also read that the apnea could be throwing off the iron levels because of the blood ox dipping. I wonder if low iron even makes apnea more dangerous since there's less ox in the blood to begin with?

Multivits are crap. Seriously. He needs the right food and meds, possibly 1-2 supplements, but general Centrum type stuff is a waste of money - please, please do some research on more recent stuff! Low iron can be from many origins - another flag to suggest possible other things going on - not everything's about apnea, and apnea may only be coincidental with other syndromes, possibly more rare than the run of the mill stuff... I'll stop here rather than risk more flak tho'.

Tmatt80 wrote:He's not. I'm not sure if I said before...he's 14 months old.
I'm going to get him a multivitamin tomorrow as well as an all natural supplement that some other moms recommended. I read where apnea can be caused by low iron, but I also read that the apnea could be throwing off the iron levels because of the blood ox dipping. I wonder if low iron even makes apnea more dangerous since there's less ox in the blood to begin with?

That part would be garbage and nonsense.
Do some homework and research.


Den

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I never said anything about Centrum. I know all that has different absorptions. I'm just asking here because im wondering if the apnea could be the reason why his levels won't go up because the doctor is on me now. Unfortunately there's no way he could eat enough iron to get his levels up...he's a baby. He doesn't eat that much. I'm going to start giving him more iron rich foods, but I've been doing that. His levels still are remaining low. I'm going to try a new supplement that some other moms recommended since the kne we have is so nasty.

It didn't really make sense to me how it could cause apnea considering obstructive apnea Is caused by obstruction...I could see how it could cause sleep issues from exhaustion, but I couldn't connect the dots with it causing apnea

You're focusing on the apnea itself maybe too much... it's a symptom, possibly of other undiagnosed medical problems that could be quite serious. Get going on contacting (whatever route you take) people like pediatric endocrinologists, cardiologists, etc, even geneticists who can test for certain problems not immediately obvious to your docs who seem concentrated only on the apnea. IF it turns out to be the only issue, deal with it (not suggesting you don't handle it now as such), but don't stop there. I feel you may be concentrating on it because it's something you can control, and therefore feel you're doing something... but is it enough?

Maybe even an allergist, as children's allergies can be devastating, and have side effects rarely seen in adults.

Sleep apnea (sleep deprivation) can screw up a lot of issues. There is absorption for instance. Many of us end up on much lower dosages of our meds because sleep allows our bodies to actual function and use the food we give it. Caffeine is one good example. I went from 4 -5 cups a day to barely tolerating 2.

Haven't read all the history here, but my heart goes out to anyone who has a sick child without the comfort of feeling like the best of the best doctors are on the case. As far as the low iron, I would wonder exactly what tests have been performed. Were complete iron studies done? Sometimes more detailed tests can identify the source of the problem. Throughout my daughter's childhood I was told to push iron, starting with her formula then on to drops and pills. All on the basis of one test - a CBC. At the age of 9 she was seen by another doctor who ordered more tests. Turned out she had a blood disorder called Thalassemia minor where the body cannot properly process iron, leaving any added iron to build up and cause problems in the body. Now, it's not likely your child has this specific problem. Just suggesting you hold the doctors accountable to rule out potential causes before embarking on a possibly long journey of trying to treat the symptoms.

Good note Kathy!

Our pulmo said that once they do the bronchoscopy they'll have a better idea of if the apnea is s symptom of something else. We've already been through allergy testing and GI appts. They've suggested a genetic appointment. Again, we don't have the luxury of just hopping up and going to whatever doctor. We are at a stand still until the bronchoscopy is done. Our pediatrician won't put in for a second opinion until after that's done. We are going to keep pushing for that for sure, but a lot of things are closed or people are out of the office for the holidays.
My only wonder with this question, not to be focusing on the apnea too much, but im just trying to sort through what could be going on. They act like the iron being so low is an issue, but it's not coming back up which to me signals a bit of a red flag like something else could be going on. At this point, I feel like our pediatrician really can't help us because she's just not very knowledgable

Ask your doctor if they suspect laryngomalacia, if so, it's something likely to be grown out of, though bronchoscopy is also done to show it exists (or doesn't). It would be the most likely thing going on.

I've already asked about that. They said (and I've read) that it's not what they're suspecting he doesn't have stridor either